The College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC) is the statutory regulatory body for immigration and citizenship consultants in Canada. Established under the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants Act and operational from November 2021, the CICC replaced the former ICCRC as the licensing and disciplinary body for Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCICs) and Regulated International Student Immigration Advisors (RISIAs). Under Canadian law, only CICC members in good standing, Canadian lawyers, and Quebec notaries are authorised to charge a fee for providing immigration or citizenship advice and representation. Anyone else who charges for this service — commonly referred to as a ghost consultant — is acting outside the law and carries serious risks for applicants. In May 2026, new regulations were announced to strengthen CICC's oversight powers, effective July 15, 2026. This page explains who is authorised to represent applicants, how to verify a consultant's status, and the risks of using unregulated consultants.

For current authorised representative rules and the Public Register, refer to the IRCC authorised representative page and the CICC Public Register.

• College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants Act, S.C. 2019, c. 29, s. 292 — the federal statute that established the CICC as the regulatory body for immigration and citizenship consultants; came into force with the CICC's launch in November 2021
• Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, s 91 — restricts who may represent or advise persons for consideration in connection with a proceeding or application under IRPA: only CICC members in good standing, lawyers and notaries, and certain other authorised persons (e.g., articling students under supervision)
• Citizenship Act, s 21.1 — parallel provision to IRPA s 91 for citizenship applications: restricts who may represent or advise persons for consideration in connection with citizenship proceedings to the same authorised categories
• New CICC regulations (effective July 15, 2026) — announced May 2026; introduce increased penalties, enhanced public register requirements (from April 2027), improved transparency reporting, and strengthened investigation processes; refer to canada.ca/cicc-2026 for full details
• IRCC: Authorised representatives — canada.ca/authorised-representatives

Who is authorised to represent immigration applicants for a fee

Under IRPA s 91 and the Citizenship Act, only the following persons may charge a fee to provide immigration or citizenship advice or representation:

• Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCICs): members in good standing of the CICC; RCICs can represent clients before IRCC, the IRB (subject to restrictions), and in most immigration and citizenship proceedings
• Regulated International Student Immigration Advisors (RISIAs): CICC members with a narrower scope of practice limited to student immigration matters — RISIAs can advise international students but cannot represent clients in the full range of immigration matters that RCICs can
• Lawyers: members in good standing of a Canadian provincial or territorial law society (bar association); immigration lawyers have the same scope as RCICs and broader scope in some contexts (e.g., judicial review applications)
• Quebec notaries: members in good standing of the Chambre des notaires du Québec; can advise and represent in immigration matters in Quebec
• Articling students and paralegals: in some provinces, articling students working under the supervision of an authorised lawyer, and certain licensed paralegals, may provide limited immigration advice

Friends, family members, and community organisations may assist an applicant without charge — the restriction applies to those who charge a fee. However, even unpaid assistance by unqualified persons carries risk if they make errors.

CICC — structure and role

The CICC is a statutory body that operates at arm's length from the federal government. Its core functions include:

• Licensing: admitting qualified persons as RCICs and RISIAs after meeting educational, examination, and professional standards
• Discipline: investigating complaints against members and imposing penalties for misconduct, including suspension and deregistration
• Public Register: maintaining and publishing a searchable register of current, suspended, and deregistered members — available at register.college-ic.ca
• Public education: informing the public about how to verify a consultant's status and the risks of ghost consultants

The CICC replaced the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council (ICCRC) in November 2021. Members who were RCICs under the ICCRC transitioned to CICC membership.

How to verify a consultant's authorisation

Before engaging any immigration or citizenship consultant, the following steps confirm whether they are authorised to act:

• Search the CICC Public Register at register.college-ic.ca — search by name or RCIC/RISIA number; a member in good standing will appear with their licence status
• Check the law society's directory for lawyers — each province and territory has its own law society with a public directory of licensed lawyers
• Verify Quebec notary status through the Chambre des notaires du Québec if dealing with a Quebec notary
• The IRCC authorised representative page also provides links to each of these registers

A consultant who cannot be found on any of these registers is not authorised to charge for immigration services.

Ghost consultants — risks for applicants

Ghost consultants are a persistent problem in Canadian immigration — they offer immigration services for payment while not holding any authorisation. The risks for applicants who use ghost consultants include:

• Application errors: ghost consultants often lack the knowledge to prepare applications correctly — errors, omissions, and incorrect information can lead to refusals
• Misrepresentation: if a ghost consultant submits incorrect information on behalf of an applicant, the applicant may be found to have misrepresented themselves — this can lead to a two to five-year bar on future applications; see the misrepresentation page
• IRCC may refuse to deal with unauthorised representatives: IRCC does not recognise communications from persons who are not authorised representatives; an application submitted by a ghost consultant may be returned or refused to be processed
• Financial loss: applicants who pay ghost consultants and receive poor advice or botched applications have limited recourse

Representing oneself — no restriction

Applicants can always represent themselves in IRCC applications and IRB proceedings without any restriction or qualification requirement — the IRPA s 91 restriction applies only to those who charge for the service. IRCC publishes guides, forms, and instructions that allow applicants to prepare their own applications.

May 2026 regulatory changes

In May 2026, the Minister of Immigration announced new regulations under the CICC Act, taking effect on July 15, 2026. The changes include:

• Increased penalties for consultants who breach the CICC's rules of professional conduct
• Enhanced information requirements for the Public Register, to take effect from April 2027
• New reporting requirements for the CICC to improve transparency and public accountability
• Improved investigation processes for misconduct complaints

For the full text of the 2026 regulatory changes, refer to the IRCC announcement.

The regulation of immigration consultants has been a persistent challenge in Canada — the vulnerability of immigration applicants (many of whom are unfamiliar with Canadian institutions and may face language barriers) makes them targets for unscrupulous operators. The transition from ICCRC to CICC reflected recognition that the previous regulatory model had gaps. The May 2026 regulatory strengthening continues this trajectory. One common source of confusion is the distinction between RCICs and lawyers — both are authorised, but their scope of practice and regulatory oversight differ; lawyers are governed by provincial law societies with independent disciplinary powers, while RCICs are governed by the CICC. For applicants choosing between an RCIC and an immigration lawyer, both are legitimate options — the choice may depend on complexity, cost, and the nature of the proceedings involved. For current CICC membership status, complaint procedures, and the updated regulatory framework, refer to the IRCC authorised representative page and the CICC website.